Portable surface cleaning tool



Aug. 30, 1932. F. E. AURAND PORTABLE SURFACE CLEANING TOOL Filed larch 28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A 772 2/672 Z02 Frarzjr r urazzd Aug. 30, 1932.

F. E. AURAND PORTABLE SURFACE CLEANING. TOOL Yrzveniaf seamen na so, 1932 UNITED STATES ran-120 FRANK E. AUB AND, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS PORTABLE SURFACE CLEANING TOOL Application filed 1mm 28, 1930. 8 eria1No.439,574.

This invention relates to power driven de" vices for cleaning surfaces in general and more particularly for removing scale or the like from said surfaces. The instant invention may be characterized as an improvement upon the device disclosed in Patent No. 1,648,888 for portable surface cleaning tool granted to me November 15, 1927 Prior to the introduction into, the art of the device disclosed in the above noted patcm the usual method for removing scale, paint or the like, from surfaces involved the use of scrapers or chisels. The latter had been used in connection with pneumatically operated hammers for facilitating the work. Inasmuch as by the use of these devices, the maintenance of a constant pressure of the devices upon the surface being cleaned is diflicult, serious damage results to the surface being cleaned when excessive pressure is in- .vvertently applied.

The introduction of the above noted patented device into the art facilitated the clean ing of surfaces in general and more particularly the removal of scale, paint or the like therefrom by the employment of a handy device having a power unit mounted thereon,

together with a conveniently placed rotor. driven by said unit and having a plurality 39 of surface impinging or contacting elements distributed about the periphery of said rotor and adapted to contact with the surface'bein g cleaned. The rotor emplo ed consists of a plurality of axially dispose plates secured together by a plurality of angularly spaced axial pins arran ed adjacent the periphery of said rotor an having mounted thereon a plurality of annular surface impinging elements. These elements are loosely mounted on the aforesaid pins and upon rotation of the rotor are adapted to be projected due to centrifugal force into contact with the surface adapted to be cleaned.

The instant invention relates to improvements upon said device. According to the present invention an adjustable depth controlling shoe is provided for the rotor carrying head of the device whereby the ,depth of impingment of the impinging elements is effectively controlled. This shoe provides for accumulations may be'encount'ered.

the relative positioning of the'rotor carrying head closer to or farther from the surface be- A mg eleaned so that the force with which the of the device being toward and away from the operator, the shoe has been provided with anti-friction elements such for example, as rollers. whereby resistance to the reciprocatmg movement of thedevice is reduced to a minimum. The depth controlling shoe is also provided with a forwardly and upward-' ly inclined tip or nose, which acts as a carryover means for the rotor carrying head where a rough or uneven surface having elevations and depressions therein due to crust or scale Another feature of the instant invention is the provision of a rotor of novel construction. According to the present invention, the rotor includes a plurality of airiallyw aligned discs provided with axial centrally disposed recesses secured together by angularly spaced axial pins arranged adjacent the periphery of said rotor and having mounted thereon a plurahty of annular surface impinging elements and. spacers in alternate and staggered relation.

In other words, those portions of the pins disposed between two adjacent discs carry thereon in alternate, relation a surface impinging element and a spacer peripherally of the rotor. Those portions of the pins disposed in the adjacent space, carry spacing elements andsurfaoe impinging elements in like manner but where in the first space a pin carries a surface impinging element, the same pin carries a spacing element in the second space. The spacing elements are slightly larger than the thickness of the surface impinging elements giving the surface impingmg elements a certain amount of axialplay upon their respective pins so that upon projection thereof by centrifugal force as the rotor is rotated, the surface contacting peripheral portions of the surface impinging elements have a limited-amount f lateral reduces the cost of manufacture.

.spindle. This construction play thus allowing these elements to operate upon the said surface upon that portion of said surface, which normally lies under the discs, whereby the entire surface underneath the rotor is effectively cleaned. The perforations rovided in the discs for the accommodation of theaxially extendin pins are slightly lar er than the pins so t at in assembled con ition, a limited amount of flexibility is provided to the rotor. In operative condition, the rotor is mounted on a spindle having a deformed periphery such for example, as may be provided by slabbing off portions of the s indle, so as to ehminate the emplo ent 0 keys.

The axially isposed recesses provided m the discs of the rotor are made to conform of flexibility in the rotor, each of the discsas the rotor is axially mounted u n the spindle, readily accommodates itsel to the ermits of the securement of an important a vantage in assembling of the rotor heretofore unobtainable, and that is the elimination of otherwise re uisite precision in assembly whereby the axia ly disposed perforations of the discs would have to be accurately aligned. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the elimination of a ste in assembly where great precision is required materially again, due to the flexibility of the rotor, each (1150 has rotational movement imparted thereto, whereas if thewrotor were rigid, only the perfectly aligned discs would have such movement imparted there'to. Thus the strain is transmitted to all the discs directly instead of to some directly and others through the pins.

A further feature of importance resides in the provision of novel shock absorbing means for each of the surface impinging elements of the rotor. tion with my rior patented device hereinbefore referre to that dueto the large number of impacts which the impinging elements necessarily receive with the rotor revolving at, for example, two thousand revolutions per minute, the rebound of each element after impact against its pin and subse uent impact thereagainst due to the centri ugal force causes the metal forming the element to adually crystallize from its inner perip cry to its outer, whereupon upon crystallization of the element it cannot hold together and bursts. This limits the life of an impinging element considerably, and of course, the efliciency of the rotor is-minimized. In order to alleviate this condition and considerably increase the life of the rotor, I have provided a novel shock absorbing means for each of the impinging elements. To this end one or more coils of resilient wire in the na- Then I have found in connecture of bushings are loosely mounted on each pin between adjacent discs prior tothe mounting of the impinging element thereon. Thus, as each impinging element rebounds after im act a ainst the surface being cleaned, t e reaction impact is considerably absorbed by the resilient wire shock absorb ing element. I havefound that the interposition of such an element for each surface im inging element entirely eliminates crystal ization of the impinging elements to the extent that the cutting peripheries of these elements wear out before any 0 stallization sets in. Actually, the useful li e of a rotor is increased four-fold or more.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel means for securing the rotor in assembled relation. To this end the pins passing through the discs and spacers are each provided at one end with an enlarged head or engaging the outer face of one end disc while at t e other end each of the pins is rovided with a transverse recess. After a the elements forming the rotor are assembled upon the pins, a length of wire is passed through the recesses at the ends of the ins and the ends of the wire are suitably nt to retain the wire in position. By the employment of this wire retaining means, it will be ap arent that the assembly of the rotor may e simply and quickly accomplished:

Another im ortant feature of the instant invention resi es in the novel positioning of the securing means retaining the rotor on the s indle. To this end the outer end plates of t e rotor are provided with enlar ed perforations for the accommodation 0 the head of a headed element adapted to be threaded into the end of the s indle. By the provision of the enlarged per orations in the outer end discs, the head of the securing element enages the outer side of the next or second disc rom the outer end, the securing element being thus normally seated within the outer face of the outer end disc and within the general outline of the rotor itself. This novel method of securing the rotor to the spindle permitsme to secure an important advantage heretofore unattained, namely, that by the elimination ofthe projection of the spindle beyond the outer. end of the rotor, the end of the rotor may be brought in close proximity to a wall or other upstanding element connected to the surface being cleaned whereby the rotor is effective for removing scale, paint or other like matter from the surface right up to the are employed and are monuted by sliding over opposite ends of a single shaft, and the tool is to be employed on continuous surfaces having no abrupt changes in contour, the necessity for rights and lefts is eliminated,

as the rotor maybe slipped onto the shaft of surface therebeneath is' relatively hard, being usually iron or steel. Where, however, the tool is employed to remove paint or other relatively soft accumulations from relatively soft surfaces, such as wood or artificial fiber board, the penetrative effect of the rotor surface impinging elements must be materially reduced.

By the provision of a novel corrugated element presenting an undulated edge or peripheg to the surface acted upon, the penetrative e ect of the impinging element is minimized to a degree where only the aint or like accumulation is effected simu ating the action of a scraper without causing any injury to the relatively soft surface being cleaned.

A further feature of the instant invention is the provision of another novel surface contacting or impinging element comprisin a wheel of relatively hard, non-brittle abrasive material having a hub in the nature of a sheet metal thimble. It will be apparent that by the employment of a rotor havmg elements of this character thereon, the contacting effectupon the surface bein cleaned will be in the nature of a fine scratc in or abrasive effect of micrometric de th. e employment of a rotor provided w1th such elements is particularly advantageous where only a ver thin film or crust of rust is being remove from the surface being cleaned.

Other features of novelty and further advantages will appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fi re 1 1s a longitudinal elevational view showing a device embodying this invention with parts thereof in section; L

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of-Figure 1 and showing parts in elevation;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view partly in section, the sectional portion of such view being along the line 33 of Figure 2;-

Figure 3A is an inner end view of the rotor;

Fi ure 4 is a perspective view of the adjusta le' depth controlling shoe;

Figure 5 is an elevation of a modified form of surface impinging element;

Figure 6 is an edge view of the element shown in Figure 5;

1 Figure 7 is an elevation of another modified 7 form of surface impinging element; and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the element shown in Figure 7 Referring more particularly to the drawings, a motor housing 9 having a suitable motor therein, is provided with a suitable handle 10 at its rear end. It will be understood that when the device is to be used for cleaning surfaces where electrical energy is available for the operation of the device, the housing 9 may contain an electric motor for the operation of the device. Where, however, electrical energy is not available, the housing 9 may contain a pneumatically operated motor which may be suitably connected with a tank of an air compressor unit of any portable type which is now in extensive use.

A removable neck 11 extends from the forward end of the motor housing 9 and is housing and neck. A drive shaft 13 is mounted longitudinally in the neck 11 withthe rear end thereof extending beyond the rear portion of the neck and being seated in the inner race 14 of a roller bearing 15, the outer race 16 of which is seated in the bore of a boss 17 provided in a removable motor housing-end plate 18. This removable end plate 18 may be interchangeably attached to either an electric motor housing or'to a compressedair motor housing, as desired. The rear end of roller bearing 15 above a washer 19 seated in the rear end of the bore of boss 17, the washer being of soft leather may be suitably clutched or otherwise suit-' ably connected with an armature shaft of an electric motor mounted in the housing 9 in the event such a motor is employed where electricity is available or may be clutched or otherwise suitably connected with the drive shaft of a pneumatic motor where the device is adapted to be driven from an air compressor unit. Acover plate 23 is provided for the forward end of the boss 17 and has a bushing 24 embracing shaft 13 disposed axially therethrough. The forward end of the direction of the plate 35.

which is disposed on "the other end of the the shaft 13 is provided with a reduced portion 25 supported in the inner race of a roller bearing 26, the outer race of which is seated in a bushing 27 at the forward end of the neck 11 in the upper rear ortion of the head 12. The forward end 0 the shaft 13 is provided with a further reduced portion to which a'worm 28 is splined and suitably spaced from the roller bearing 26 by means of a bushing 29, the head 12 being provided with an enlar ed recess 30 for the accommodation of suc worm. is threaded upon the extreme forward end of the shaft 13 in abutment with the'outer end of the worm 28 to positively retain the -worm on the shaft.

The head 12 is machined axially to provide a bore 32 disposed transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the neck' 11. A spindle 33 is disposed axially within the bore 32 and carries a worm wheel 34 disposed centrally thereof with its teeth in engagement with the teethof worm 28. Two

end plates 35 and '36 are seated in the ends in this bore snugly embracing the spindle .p

33. At its inner end, the plate 35 is provided with an enlargedaxial' bore 42 in which a roller bearing 43 is mounted with the inner race thereof embracing the spindle 33 and having its inner end in abutment with the hub 44 of worm wheel 34. A suitable spacing washer 45 may be positioned between the outer end of the bearing 43 and the inner face of the bore 42, the washer being of any resilient material to prevent end play of the bearing 43 along the spindle 33 in Plate 36,

hub 44 ofthe skew gear 34, is likewise provided with a ring 46, roller bearing 47 and washer 48. Beyond the plates 35. and 36, each end portion of the-spindle 33 may be of any desired irregular contour and I have chosen as an example thereof to provide the spindle with two parallel, opposed faces 49.

The lower periphery of the head 12 is provided with a forwardly extending depression 50 and is slabbed off at its rear side to form a substantially flat face 51.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 4, an adjustable'depth controlling shoe 52 having a rear fiat portion 53 is adapted to be mounted for sliding movement along the face 51 of the head 12 with its forwardly extending and upwardly curved portion 54 being A nut 31 adapted to be moved in and out of the depression 50. The flat portion 53 of the shoethe shoe 52 on said head. Any well known I expedient may be employed to prevent the shoe 52 from having movement other than sliding movement along the face 51, such for example as a tongue and groove connection, a dove tail connection, two such securing members as 56 may be employed or any one or more of a number -of such well known expedients. At the juncture of the portions 53 and 54, the shoe is provided with two parallel longitudinally extending slots 57 in which two rollers 58 journaled upon a transversely extending pin 59 are positioned; As shown in Fi re 1, the head 12 is rovided with a depression 60 to accommo ate the rollers 58 when the shoe 52 is in its uppermost'adjusted position. The curved portion 54 will effectively carry the head 12 over a rough or uneven surface having depressions or sharp elevations therein.

Spindle 33 extends outwardly on either side of the head 12 and rotors generally. indicated at 61 are adapted to be mounted upon these extended portions. Each rotor comprises a plurality of coaxially disposed spaced discs 62 connected together by a plurality of angularly spaced ins 63 arran ed adjacent, the peripheries 0 said discs. ounted on the ins 63 in the spaces between the discs 62 in alternate relation peripherall of the rotor are a plurality of annular sur ace impinging elements 64 and spacers 65. For operating upon heavy scale, the surface impinging elements may comprise annular cutting members, the outer peripheries of which are provided with-a .pluralitg of integral jagged teeth 66 so that when t ey are projected into contact with such scale on the surface desired to be cleaned, they will actto break or chip the scale. 'The internal diameter of each of the elements 64 is considerably greater than the diameter of the pins 63 on which said elements are mounted. Thus, when the spindle 33 is rotated at a rapid rate, the elements 64 will by centrifugal force be projected outwardly. To prevent crystallization of the impinging elements 64 due to rebound reaction against the pins 63 resulting from the relatively large number of revolutions the bushings are loosely mounted upon the pins 63 between the pins and inner peripheries of the impinging elements. Thus as each impinging element rebounds after impact with the surface being cleaned, the reaction impact a ainst the 'correspondin pin is considerab y absorbedby the bus ing entirely eliminating c tallization of the impinging elements and t iereby considerably increasing the efiective life of such elements.

The axial recesses or perforations of each of the discs 62, excepting those of the end discs 62' indicated at 62a, are of a shape conforming to the outer periphery of the spindle 33. The perforations provided in the plates or discs 62 for the passage therethrough of pins 63 are slightly arger than the diameter of the pins 63, so that when the pins are secured against displacement by the passage through the ends thereof of a common securing wire element 64 (gsee Figure 3A), the rotor will have it limits amount of flexibility in assembled condition. Thus, when the rotor is to be mounted upon the spindle 33 as the discs 62 are progressively slid upon the spin die 33, the discs will automatically align and adjust themselves to the outer periphery of the spindle 33. This permits of the elimination of assembly work involved in the assembling of the rotors requiring utmost precision were the rotors to be of a rigid structure. In

a addition, it is to be noted that due to the limited amount of flexibility provided in the rotors, rotational movement 18 transmitted to each of the discs instead of just to one or a few of the discs if the rotor structure were rigid and the axial perforations were not in perfect alignment.

The outwardly extending ends of the spindie 33 are somewhat shorter than the normal laugh of the rotors 61 and each endis .pro-

vided with'an internally threaded axial recess for the accommodation therein of a headed securing member 67. Referring particularly to Figure 2, it will be noted that thecentral perforations 62a of the end. discs 62' are circular in shape, the diameter of this v erforation being slightly larger than the iameter of the head 68 of the securing member 67. 'lhus, after the rotor has been mounted upon the spindle 33 and the securing member 67 is threaded into the end of the spindle the head 68 thereof passes through the perrora tion 62a in the end disc 62' and engages the outer face of the second disc 62 to retain the rotor upon the spindle. In seated position, the head 68 of the securing member 67 is seated entirely within the end plane of the a rotor, thus eliminating any projection of the spindle beyond the outer end of the rotor.

'l he surface impinging elements 64% are thinner than the space between the adjacent discs 62, as defined by the spacing elements 65, so that the elements 64 have a limited amount of lateral play u on the pins 63. As the elements 64lare pro ected outwardly by centrifugal force, the lateral play thereof upon the pins 63 permits these elements to operate upon a space between adjacent spaces below the discs 62, thus rendering the elements 64 eflective upon the entire surface 65 underneath each rotor rather than only upon ator o the device.

A knob 72 is suitablysecured to the upper side of the head 12 for purposes of providing a convenient hand hold for the operator to guide the forward end of the tool and to provide a means whereby the operator may exert a downward pressure upon the forward end of the device to restrain this end of the device from being lifted oif the surface being cleaned due to the reaction of the impinging elements 64 resulting from the impacts of these elements upon said surface.

- In Figures '5 and 6, I have illustrated a modified form of surface impin 'ng element comprising a sheet metal disc 3 provided with radial corru ations or striations 74 prosenting an undu ated edge or peripher 75 which may be provided in a rotor of a c aracter similar to those disclosed in Figures 2 and 3 for purposes of operating upon a relatively soft surface. It will be apparent that with this type of surface impinging element, the normal cuttin depth is materially reduced so that the evico may be readily employed for removin accumulations such as aint, varnish, or the like, from wood suraces. I

For purposes of operating upon a surface where only a scratching or abrasive efiect is desired, as in the case of removing a relatively thin surface formatlon of rust or like substance, l have provided a further modifled form of surface impinging element,

shown in Figures 7 and 80 This element comprises an annular member of abrasive materialftl having a hub or thimble 77 of pressed sheet metal eaten through the central perforation thereof w the ends of said thimble being stamped, swa. ad, or spun back toward the hat faces tie element. It will be, of course, understood that the abrasive substance must be such as to be hard, yet not brittle, sothat the impact imparted thereto as impinges upon the contacting surface will not rupture the element.

Due to novel characteristics of the rotors disclosed herein, it will be evident that the rotors may be quickly and cheaply assembled and may be quickly replaced upon the" spindle of the device.

it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that by reason of the provision of the rotor and the surface impinging elements thereon, the speed at which said rotor may be driven and the ease which the device may be manipulated that surfaces having accumulations .of'scale or the like thereon ma be quickly and conveniently cleared of suc scale. By the provision of anadjustaate upon surfaces of almost any thickness the essence of the invention.

'of scale. By the provision of the novel securin means for the rotors whereby the securin means is disposed within the rotor and wit in the lane of the outer disc of said rotor, the tool is effective for cleaning scale or other accumulations from surfaces along the edge of a surface defined by an upstanding wall or other upright joined with said surface.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto inasmuch as certain changes may be made therein without de arting from mon these changes may be the employment 0 some other means for the securement of adjustability of the shoe 52 and the curved portion 54 thereof may be provided with additional rollers for reducing friction between the underside of said curved portion when it. is carrying out its carry-over function; while I have disclosed a device wherein two rotors are employed, a singleone or more than two may be employed; and other modified forms of impinging elements may be provided in the rotors.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art other changes may be made and many details of construction varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let-' ters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a rotor including a plurality of coaxially disposed discs, pins secured through said discs and spaced apart circumferentially of said rotor, spacers on said pins between said discs, and annular movable elements disposed between said discs, said spacers and elements bein mounted on said pins in staggered circumferential relation.

2. In a devlce of the character described, a rotor including a plurality of coaxially disposed discs, pins secured through said discs and spaced apart circumferentially of said 'rotor, and spacers and annular movable elements on said pins between said discs, said spacers maintaining said discs in spaced apart relation forming spacing wider than the thickness of said elements whereby said elements have lateral playon said pins.

3. In a device-of the character described, a rotor including a plurality of coaxially disposed discs, pins secured through said discs and spaced apart circumferentially of said rotor, and spacers and annular movable elements on said ins between said discs, said discs having re ative movement on said pins whereby the rotor has a limited amount of flexibihty.

4. In a device of the character described, a a rotor adapted to be mounted on a spindle having a deformed pleri hery and including a plurality of coaxia y isposed discs havin axial recesses conforming to the periphery 0% said spindle, pins secured through said discs .and spaced apart circumferentially of said rotor, and spacers and annular movable elements on said ins between said discs, said discs having re ative movement on said pins whereb said ro'tor has a limited amount of flexibility, so that said discs may adjust themselves on said ,spindle when said rotor is axiall mounted on said s indle;

5. n a device of the c aracter described, a rotor adapted to be mounted on a spindle having a deformed periphery and including a plurality of coaxially disposed disc's having axial recesses conforming to the periphery ofsaid spindle, pins secured through said discs and spaced apart circumferentially of said rotor, and spacers and annular movable elements on said pins between said discs, said discs having relative movement on said pins whereby said rotor has a limited amount of flexibility, so that said discs may adjust themselves on said spindle when said rotor is axially mounted on said spindle, said spacers maintaining said discs in spaced apart relation forming spaces therebetween wider than the thickness of said elements whereby said elements have lateral play on said pins.

6. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a spindle, of a rotor journal member and a'shock absorbing memember carried by said body portion, an annular member movable relative to said journal member and a loosely mounted resilient bushing carried by said journal member and disposed between said member and said element to absorb shock incident to impact of said element against said member.

10. In a device of the character described, a rotor including a plurality of coaxially disposed discs, pins extending through said discs in circumferentially spaced relation, spacers between adjacent discs, annular movable members disposed between adjacent discs,

said spacers and members being mounted on said pins in staggered circumferential relation, and loosely mounted resilient bushings on said pins between said pinsand members.

11. In a device'ofthe character described, a rotor comprising a plurality of coaxially disposed discs, pins extending through said discs in circumferentially spaced relation, means cooperating with said discs to main-- tain them in spaced relation, annular movable members carried by said pins in the spaces between the discs, said members being arranged in staggered circumferential rela-" tion, and loosely mounted resilient bushings on said pins and cooperating with corresponding members to cushion impacts between said pins andcorresponding associated members.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 24th da of March, 1929.

FRA K E. AURAND. 

